Bubble tower construction



Sept. 8, 1931. Q C, BREWSTER 1,822,609

BUBBLE TOWER C ONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 2:5, 1928 Patented sept. s, 1931y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OSWALD C. BREWSTER, OF CASPER, WYOMING, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD OIL COMPANY, .0F WHITING, INDIANA, A CORPORATION 0F INDIANA BUBBLE TOWER CON STRUCTION Application led February 23, 1928. Serial No. 256,366. A

The present invention relates to improvements in bubble-tower construction.

The primary object is to provide a bubbletower of simple .and durable construction :s which will have), increased eiiiciency in reflux condensation and which will facilitate cleaning of the apparatus.

The invention 'will be fully understood from the following description, illustrated 'lo by the accompanying drawings, in Which-' Fig. 1 is a broken verticalview of the bubble-tower diagramm'atically illustrating the apparatus in lwhich the invention may be carried into effect; Fig. 2, a broken vertical 15 sectional view of a ortion of the bubbletower; Fig. 3, a bro en top plan sectional view, the section being taken as indicated at line 3 and Fig. 4, -a detailed view in elevation of a portion of the bubble-cap employed.

eferring more particularly to the drawings, 5 indicates a bubble-tower. The bubble-tower, as shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and V3, is provided with a series of pans 6, each of which is supported in position by angle irons 7, or other suitable means. Each pan 6 is preferably recessed centrally to provide an oblong opening 8 and is provided adjacent said opening with a raised flange, or collar, 9. By means of the collar 9, the pool of liquid maintained by the pan is prevented from overflowing through the opening 8. An inlet pipe 10 is provided which serves to receive the'oil overflowing into the pipe from the pan above and to discharge it C3 at a point near the end of the oblong collar 9. A. similar pipe 11 is arranged adjacent the inlet pipe and is adapted to receive the overflow in the pan and to discharge into the pan below. rlhe pan 6 is provided with a partition 12 located between inlet pipe 10 and outlet pipe 11` thereby compelling the incoming oil to pass completely around the lcollar 9 to reach the outlet pipe- 11.

A bubble-cap 13 similar in shape to the collar 9, but considerably larger, is adapted to be received over the collar 9. Spacers 14 are employed to separate the wallslof the bubble-cap from the collar preferably on all sides except the side adjacent the inlet and outlet pipes. The walls of the bubble-cap 13 are slotted to permitvapors to pass through the cap and into the pool of liquid outside. The slots, or openings, 15,- are preferably shaped somewhat like a hair-pin. Hooks, or handles, 16 may be attached to the bubble-cap" \to aid in the removal thereof from the tower when the tower is cleaned.

To facilitate cleaning of the apparatus, the

4ters the bubble-tower near the top of the tower through line 19 and flows into the topmost of the series of pans from which it overflows throughpipe 10 into the pan below. Upon reaching the pan below, the oilV is prevented by partition 12 from owing directly into overflow pipe l1 and is compelled to flow in the elongated path around the bubblecap 13 before it reaches the outletpipe l1 on the other side 'of thepartltion. The oil then overflows through pipe 11 into the pan below where the operation is repeated. Thus, on each of the pans a pool of oil is formed and tit) the oil received through line 19 at the top of the tower passes successivelythrough cach of the pans until it reaches the Ibottom of the tower where it is drawn off through line 20.

Vapors enter near the bottom of the tower through line 2l and pass up through open'- ings 8 in pans 6, pass down through the column of oil between the collar 9 and sidewalls of the bubble-cap 13, and pass through slots l5 into the pool of liquid maintained on the pan outside. In the course of this contact with the oil, some of the heavier fractions of the vapors are condensed and. carried to the base of the tower with the feedstock. The vapors which are not condensed pass upwardly through opening 8 of the pan above and the operation is therein repeated. The vaporsLk are drawn olf at `the top of the tower through vapor-llne 22. These vapors include light H tus in which the `oil on each of the pans 1s caused to flow through an elongated 'path around the bubble-cap, thus progressively f changing in composition as it makes Contact with the vapors and condenses a portion of them, is highly ellicient as a reflux condenser. In this connection, balfles 23 may, if desired, be employed. By means of the spacers 14, a

uniform pool of oil is maintained between the collar and the sidewalls of the cap 13, thus providing a substantial pool of liquid through which the vapors must pass in addi-kr tion to the pool of oil outside.

Vith the construction as shown, the ap-` paratus may be cleaned by removing the plate 18 of the manhole 17' and hoisting therethrough the oblong shaped bubble-cap 13. Hooks may be inserted in the handles 16 of a bubble-cap and the bubble-cap hoisted out of position. One hook may then be removed and the bubble-cap hoisted up endwise by means of one handle through the openings in the various pans and out of the top of the bubble-tower. The bubble-caps themselves may ,f be cleaned conveniently outside of the tower and the pans may be cleaned iii-position by' workmen entering through the manhole 17 and the openings 8 of the various pans.. The arrangement of? the inletA and outlet pipes and the partition at one end offthe pan. presents very slight obstruction and enables the remainder of the pan to be cleaned with a modicum of difficulty.

It is not intended that the details of the apparatus illustrated shall be regarded as limitations upon the scope of the invention, except in so faras included in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A bubble tower comprisingpans provided with openings, flanges adjacent said openings and serving to maintain a pool of oil on said pans, inlet and outlet pipes arranged substajnt'iallyin juxtaposition, parti-v v tions separating said inlet and outlet pipes, said flanges being so shaped as to cause the material flowing from said inlet pipes to said outlet pipes to follow an elongated path, bubble caps provided with side openings, and adapted to be received over said flanges, and spacers separating the side walls of said bubble caps from said flanges except where the inlet and outlet pipes and partitions are located.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bubble tower having an opening in one end, a removable closure plate for said opening,

a plurality of pans each having an opening centrally disposed therein, means for maintaining a pool of liquid on said pans, and bubble caps adapted to be placed over said openings, said bubble caps being of such size and shape as to permit the removal ol' said bubble caps from the tower through the'pan openings and the opening in the end of the tower. i

3. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bubble tower having an opening in one end, a removable end plate closing said opening, a plurality of pans each having an opening centrally-disposed therein, flanges adjacent said openings, bubble caps adapted to be re ceived over said flanges, spacers separating said flanges and bubble caps, said bubble caps being of such size and shape as to permit of their removal through saidpan openings and said opening in the end of the tower.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bubble tower having an opening in one end, a closure plate adapted to close said end,

a plurality of pans eachhaving an opening 'Y centrally disposed therein, flanges adjacent said openings, bubble caps adapted to be received over said flanges, inlet and outlet pipes, and partitions separating said inlet and outlet pipes, said bubble caps being of'l such size and shape as to permit of their removal through said pan openings and the opening in the end of the tower.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth, a bubble tower having an opening in one end, a closure plate adapted to close said end, a plurality of pans yeach having an opening centrally disposed therein, flanges adjacent said openings, bubble caps adapted to be'received over said flanges and also being of such size and shape as to permit their removal through said pan openings and the opening in the end of the tower, inlet and outlet pipes arranged substantially in juxtaposition, and partitions separating said inlet and outlet pipes.

G. A bubble tower comprising, pans provided with openings, flanges adjacent said openings and serving to maintain a pool of oil on each of said pans, inlet and outlet pipes arranged substantially in juxtaposition, par-4 titions separating said inlet and outlet pipes,

said partitions cooperating with said flanges to cause the material flowing from said inlet pipes to said outlet pipes to follow an elongated path, bubble caps provided with side openings and adapted to be received over said flanges, and spacers separating the side walls Vof said bubble caps from said flanges.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of February, 1928. OSVVALD C. BREWS'IER.

'IRO 

